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Hate crime legislation praised by parents of Matthew Shepard

In the midst of the national debate over religious freedom laws and gay rights, the parents of Matthew Shepard took their message to Sacramento. Their son was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime 17 years ago in Wyoming.

In the midst of the national debate over religious freedom laws and gay rights, the parents of Matthew Shepard took their message to Sacramento. Their son was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime 17 years ago in Wyoming.

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Updated: 10:15 AM PDT Apr 3, 2015

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WEBVTT IT IS A DEBATE THAT COULD FLARE UP AGAIN WITH LAWMAKERS SET TO MOVE ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BILLS OF THEIR OWN. A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS. THE PARENTS OF MATTHEW SHEPARD TOOK THEIR MESSAGE TO SACRAMENTO TODAY. HE WAS MURDERED IN A HATE CRIME IN WYOMING 17 YEARS AGO. CLAIRE DOAN SPOKE WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE FIGHTING TO CHANGE. CLAIRE: DENNIS AND JUDY SAY CLOSER IS AN IMAGINARY CONCEPT. DENNIS: MOTHER'S DAY CARDS, FATHER'S DAY CARDS, BIRTHDAY CARDS. CLAIRE: THEIR SON WAS ROBBED, BEATEN, TIED TO OFFENSE FENCE, AND LEFT TO DIE. THE ANTI-GAY HATE CRIME BECAME A RALLYING CRY. DENNIS: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GAY RIGHTS. IT IS EQUAL RIGHTS. CLAIRE: THEY HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS ACTION. IT IS GRATIFYING THEY TRUST US BUT HEARTBREAKING. CLAIRE: U.S. ATTORNEY BEN WAGNER. THEN: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME A STATUTE WAS PASSED SPECIFICALLY PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY. CLAIRE: THE SHEPHERDS SAY THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO. WE THOUGHT WE WERE PROGRESSING WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. 50 YEARS LATER YOU STILL HAVE RACIAL PROBLEMS. THEY BELIEVE CERTAIN CHALLENGES STAND IN THE WAY. I BELIEVE IT IS A ROADBLOCK. SOMEHOW THE INTERPRETATION THEY HAVE OF THE BIBLE IS DIFFERENT FROM MINE. CLAIRE: WHILE THEY WILL NEVER GET CLOSURE, THEY BELIEVE FIGHTING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IS THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE HIS MEMORY.

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Hate crime legislation praised by parents of Matthew Shepard

In the midst of the national debate over religious freedom laws and gay rights, the parents of Matthew Shepard took their message to Sacramento. Their son was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime 17 years ago in Wyoming.